Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist George Romney. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Romney as a man, adhering strictly to the genre of self-portraiture where the creator turns the lens upon themselves.
Created in 1795, this oil painting on canvas functions as a self-portrait, with the artist George Romney serving as the sole subject and main focus of the composition. The work depicts Romney as a man, adhering strictly to the genre of self-portraiture where the creator turns the lens upon themselves. While the piece establishes the artist's physical presence through this direct representation, the available records do not elaborate on specific symbolic attributes, allegorical figures, or deeper iconographic programs beyond the fundamental act of self-depiction.
Consequently, the work's primary meaning rests in its function as a documentary record of the artist's likeness at the end of the eighteenth century, rather than conveying a complex narrative or hidden symbolism.
Technique & Style
The painting is an oil work on canvas, dimensions 76.2 cm by 63.5 cm, dated 1795. Romney used the standard oil‑on‑canvas method of his time, applying pigment to a stretched linen support to produce a smooth, blended surface typical of portraiture. The composition shows the artist in a three‑quarter view, with careful attention to facial detail and subtle chiaroscuro that models the head and shoulders.
As a self‑portrait held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece has been maintained under conventional museum conditions, though the sources do not provide further details on its conservation history.
History & Provenance
The portrait is dated 1795, aligning with Romney’s late period when he returned to London after years in Italy. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its founding collection; the Museum’s records list the work by accession number 1975.1.132, confirming its presence by at least the mid-1970s. No documented commission or preparatory material has been traced, and the painting is not recorded among the artist’s studio inventories or sales before the twentieth century.
George Romney's 1795 oil painting, Self-Portrait, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, which depicts the artist, measures 76.2 by 63.5 centimeters and is executed in oil on canvas. While the artwork is confirmed to be part of the museum's holdings, the provided sources do not specify a unique inventory or accession number for this piece.
Furthermore, the available documentation does not contain details regarding a specific exhibition history for this painting, noting only its creation date and current institutional location.
Overview
George Romney, an English painter from the late 18th century, created this oil self-portrait in 1798. While widely recognized for his fashionable depictions of prominent society figures, including his muse Emma Hamilton, this work offers a direct portrayal of the artist himself. It exemplifies the neoclassical emphasis on clarity and controlled expression, characteristic of the era's artistic trends.
Context
Active during a period when portraiture was a significant art form, Romney was a sought-after artist for the British elite. This self-portrait, created towards the end of his career, reflects the neoclassical movement's principles of order and intellectual rigor. It stands in contrast to the more dramatic or ornate styles that preceded it, embodying a refined simplicity favored at the time.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
George Romney (26 December 1734 – 15 November 1802) was an English painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures – including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson.
- Sir John Edward Swinburne
Portrait of Robert Livingston (b. 1733)
James Johnston of Straiton (died 1841)
Robert Hay
Hombre de época
John Quincy Adams
Portrait of a Man
Edward Miles (1752–1828)
William Forsyth (1749–1814)
Portrait of Salomon Rendorp, Brewer in Amsterdam
William Eustis
Portrait of Salomon Rendorp, Brewer in Amsterdam